I am considering switch to sprint. But I dont want to be bound in 2 yr contract. So if I buy Pre at full cost from Sprint, or if I buy a clean esn Pre from Craigslist, will sprint sign me up on a phone/data plan without making me sign contract?

Considering that now their plans have no promotional elements (which traditionally required some type of contract) you should be able to do so without signing one. Just make sure you either call telesales directly or go to a sprint corporate store...them dealers...eh...lots of pain to be had with many of them.

No. You will always be placed on contract w/ Sprint, even if you provide your own equipment. The cancellation fee is only $200 and that's prorated. Go get the Pre for $50 from Best Buy and if you really want to cancel pay the ETF. You're not going to get a Pre in good condition on Craigslist for under $250 and retail is $499.

No. You will always be placed on contract w/ Sprint, even if you provide your own equipment. The cancellation fee is only $200 and that's prorated. Go get the Pre for $50 from Best Buy and if you really want to cancel pay the ETF. You're not going to get a Pre in good condition on Craigslist for under $250 and retail is $499.

I am also considering switch to Sprint for Pre, and I had same question. That makes sense!! Sooo, if I get a pre for $50, and then if I had to cancel the contract, I pay $200, costing me $250 total, whereas buying a used Pre from craigslist will already cost me $250 minimum. So I am better signing up for a contract and get a brand new Pre for the same amount and later, if needed, cancel it. It makes sense . Am I missing something in the picture??

No. You will always be placed on contract w/ Sprint, even if you provide your own equipment. The cancellation fee is only $200 and that's prorated. Go get the Pre for $50 from Best Buy and if you really want to cancel pay the ETF. You're not going to get a Pre in good condition on Craigslist for under $250 and retail is $499.

No. You will always be placed on contract w/ Sprint, even if you provide your own equipment. The cancellation fee is only $200 and that's prorated. Go get the Pre for $50 from Best Buy and if you really want to cancel pay the ETF. You're not going to get a Pre in good condition on Craigslist for under $250 and retail is $499.

the contract is initially "activated" by the plan not the phone . hence forward it "renews based on phone upgrade renewal.

No. You will always be placed on contract w/ Sprint, even if you provide your own equipment. The cancellation fee is only $200 and that's prorated. Go get the Pre for $50 from Best Buy and if you really want to cancel pay the ETF. You're not going to get a Pre in good condition on Craigslist for under $250 and retail is $499.

No diss my dude, but I recently brought my previously purchased at full price Pre to my wive's account and no contract was required off me. That's why I directed the OP to a corporate sprint store or to telesales directly, they will do it.

No. You will always be placed on contract w/ Sprint, even if you provide your own equipment. The cancellation fee is only $200 and that's prorated. Go get the Pre for $50 from Best Buy and if you really want to cancel pay the ETF. You're not going to get a Pre in good condition on Craigslist for under $250 and retail is $499.

I can personally state from experience that this is not true, if you are on Sprint but out of contract. I purchased 2 Pre's, 1 from a guy on this forum, another from a Craigslist ad, 1 for $150, 1 for $200, both in perfect shape, and changed my plan from the "fair and flexible family plan" (had it for a long time) to the family data plan and began using these phone, first 1, then the other with no contract extension.

Can you walk in off the street with a Pre in your hand, I don't know, never tried it.

I think there is an option of a 1 year contract with Sprint. Of course you will have to pay more for equipment.
Edit: The 1 year contracts are only available for existing customers looking at upgrading.

If you already have service, you can purchase a phone at full retail without a contract, however if you do not currently have service, you're required to sign a contract. There is ONE plan you can sign up for new service without a commitment: $39.99 for 300 peak minutes and Unlimited night and weekend minutes. This does not have ANY data affiliation, but the Pre cannot be activated on this plan.
My recommendation is to find someone that wants to cancel one of their lines of service that is currently out of contract, go down to the store with them, transfer the line into your name (we will require you to fill out a transfer of liability form) and then change the phone number (so you won't get the old owner's phone calls). You can THEN change the plan to one of the Everything Data plans (which are Pre compatible) and activate the phone without a contract.
Sorry. It sucks, but that's the only way to do it without a commitment.

No diss my dude, but I recently brought my previously purchased at full price Pre to my wive's account and no contract was required off me. That's why I directed the OP to a corporate sprint store or to telesales directly, they will do it.

Sounds like you're a current account. ESN swaps don't affect your contract or lack of one(which is what you did). In the case of the OP, they want to activate a new line of service, which requires a new 2-year agreement with Sprint, period. So OP is better off buying his phone through a dealer(probably could get one for free online) and using his subsidy.

If you already have service, you can purchase a phone at full retail without a contract, however if you do not currently have service, you're required to sign a contract. There is ONE plan you can sign up for new service without a commitment: $39.99 for 300 peak minutes and Unlimited night and weekend minutes. This does not have ANY data affiliation, but the Pre cannot be activated on this plan.
My recommendation is to find someone that wants to cancel one of their lines of service that is currently out of contract, go down to the store with them, transfer the line into your name (we will require you to fill out a transfer of liability form) and then change the phone number (so you won't get the old owner's phone calls). You can THEN change the plan to one of the Everything Data plans (which are Pre compatible) and activate the phone without a contract.
Sorry. It sucks, but that's the only way to do it without a commitment.

DONT DO THIS!! I did it with a palm 800w a while back. they said, oh yea no problem, no contract. They ended up giving me a contract anyways, I spent months fighting with them and eventually gave up...I would not risk it.

Sounds like you're a current account. ESN swaps don't affect your contract or lack of one(which is what you did). In the case of the OP, they want to activate a new line of service, which requires a new 2-year agreement with Sprint, period. So OP is better off buying his phone through a dealer(probably could get one for free online) and using his subsidy.

Source: Former Sprint Employee

I don't understand how what I did was an ESN swap where there wasn't an ESN to swap from. What I mean is this, mine was a new line added to my wive's account along with a change in her plan from an individual to a shared plan....so...I don't think we are talking about the same thing here.

Source: me, an 8 year Sprint client and brother of a former sprint employee.

Anywho, to the OP, there are ways to get around doing the contract thing with Sprint. I think that some of the suggestions on this topic are better than just swallowing the 24 month commitment blue pill.

Sprint used to do a basic pre-paid plan, ran monthly with no contract, you just paid for whatever minutes you wanted. They did away with that quite awhile ago, when they went to the low deposit and spending limit accounts.

As far as the buying a phone and swiching plans like that, AFAIKAFAIKAFAIK$if$$you$$change$$your$$plan$, $you$$agree$$to$$a$$new$$contract$. $You$$just$$have$$the$$guarantee$$that$$you$$can$$go$$back$$to$$your$$old$$plan$$within$$30$$days$, $and$$not$$have$$your$$plan$$extended$$again$. $You$$do$$still$$have$$to$$agree$$to$$the$$contract$$you$$put$$on$$the$$phone$.